Velour carpet with tufting-like surface

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for producing a velour rug, comprising the following steps: a) needling of a nonwoven/mali nonwoven on a bristle strip using a needling machine, in the process of which a pile nonwoven/carrier nonwoven is pulled into and partially back out of the bristle strip such that the fibers of the pile nonwoven/carrier nonwoven are located in the plane of the bristle strip, b) separating the nonwoven from the bristle strip by means of a roller brush, c) brushing the pile side prior to cutting the loops, characterized in that, in order to increase the fiber density and enhance the pile stability, an additional nonwoven/mali nonwoven, especially a pile nonwoven/carrier nonwoven, is placed onto the reverse of the nonwoven/mali nonwoven, especially between a first and second needling unit, between steps a) and b).

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a velour carpetthat has advantageous properties over velour carpets of the prior art.

The term “tufting” refers to a technology for the production ofthree-dimensional textile sheets. it is the process most frequentlyemployed worldwide for preparing carpets.

Tufting works on the principle of a sewing machine. Needles insert theso-called pile yarn into a base material (woven or non-woven fabric),the so-called primary backing or support.

The needles stitch through the base material; before the needles arerunning back again, the inserted pile yarn is held by loopers. Thisproduces loops (pile knots) on the top side of the tufting fabric.

In this way, a so-called loop-pile carpet is obtained. If the loops arecut open with a knife, a velour carpet (cut-pile carpet) is formed.Frequently, the knife is already attached to the looper, so that theholding and cutting of the pile is done in one operation.

In order to hold the stitched pile yarn tight, a secondary backing orlatex layer must be applied. This process is referred to as laminationor integration.

In addition, a “simpler” method is known in the prior art, whichproduces similar carpets without a pile yarn inserted into the primarybacking from outside. For velour forming, needles stitch through afibrous web/Malifleece and draw fiber loops between the bristles of abrush belt lying under the fibrous web/Malifleece. The fibers carriedalong by the up and down movement of the needles are crossed and therebybonded together. The needles employed may be needles having small barbson their sides, so-called crown needles, or needles having fork-likeends, so-called fork needles.

After the needling process, the velour is separated from the runningbrush belt by a pair of rollers. The degree of densification isdetermined by the number of stitches per unit area, the penetrationdepth of the needles into the fibrous web/Malifleece and the fibercount.

When dual-layer coats (velour+wear layer) are prepared, the fabric isturned over after the first needle zone and needled with the wear layerin the second needling zone. This is followed by backside bonding of thefibers by means of a binder based on synthetic rubber or acrylate bydifferent application methods. For latex-free integrations, bindingfibers or thermoplastic dispersions are employed. In this case, thefiber linear densities are between 6.7 and 17 dtex.

As described above in the just mentioned “simpler” method, no additionalpile yarn is inserted from outside into the substrate web, especiallyMalifleece, i.e., the primary backing. In this case, the shape of avelour carpet is obtained due to the fact that the needles carryindividual fibers from the fibrous web, especially Malifleece, into thebrush belt.

Although this process yields velour carpets similar to those prepared bythe tufting method, the former have a somewhat worse property profile ascompared to the latter. Namely, tufting velour carpets usually have ahigher fiber density. A high fiber density is in turn considered animportant quality feature of such velour carpets, because it resultsamong others in better cleaning properties, an increased resistanceagainst pressure load and a better abrasion resistance.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to improve theprocesses of the prior art, especially the “simpler” process as setforth above, for preparing velour carpets in such terms that a velourcarpet having a higher fiber density than has been possible by thepreviously known prior art processes can be prepared.

In a first embodiment, the object of the invention is achieved by aprocess for preparing a velour carpet, comprising the following steps:

a) needling a web/Malifleece on a brush belt using a needling machine, apile/support web being drawn into the brush belt and partially backagain, so, that the fibers of the pile/support web are in the plane ofthe brush belt;

b) separating the web from the brush belt by means of a roller brush;

c) brushing up the pile side before the loops are cut open;

characterized in that a further web/Malifleece, especially apile/support web, is applied to the back side of the web/Malifleecebetween steps a) and b), especially between a first and a secondneedling unit, to increase the fiber density and enhance the pilestability.

In a conventional (single-layer) dilour, the pile density can no longerbe enhanced from a certain limit as the stitching density increases.This is prevented by two causes, namely the decrease of fiber mobilityas the densification of the web increases, and the retrieval effect bymultiple attacks on the same pile loops. According to the invention, theretrieval effect is avoided by applying the second web with a new supplyof little densified and highly mobile fibers.

In the following, the various variants of the process according to theinvention are further illustrated:

Reference variant 1:

On the one hand, step a) is to be understood in such terms that thepile/support web can be inserted into the brush belt (in accordance withthe tufting method). However, alternatively and/or cumulatively, thefibers of the web/Malifleece may also represent the pile layer; thus, noseparate pile yarn is introduced from outside in this case, but thefibers are drawn along with the needles into the brush belt (inaccordance with the above described “simpler” method without a pileyarn).

After the needling, the web/Malifleece is separated from the brush beltnot only in step b). In addition, additional fibers are eliminated fromthe web by means of brushes in step c). This achieves a defined fiberstanding condition, and the web retains its support layer. Thus, forequal weights, the fiber density is 1.5 times to twice as high as withstandard velour carpets. The use of binding fibers further enhances thefiber density.

In particular, it is advantageous in the above described process ifsteps b) and c) are performed simultaneously. All in all, thiscorresponds to the saving of a process step and is thus particularlyfavorable under aspects of process economy.

Further, it is preferred that the back side of the web is sprayed withwater and/or a commercially available dispersion or bonded only by theuse of binding fibers, and dried, especially without tension. This fixesthe standing condition of the fibers, and the fiber density is againincreased. At the same time, the fibers are integrated.

Further, it is preferred that the pile side of the web/Malifleece isbrushed against the grain after step c) for erecting the fibers, andprotruding fibers are shorn off. This again additionally fixes thestanding condition of the fibers, and the surface of the velour carpetis clearly smoothed, which is important, in particular, for thoseapplications in which the pile side is the visible side of the velourcarpet.

Preferably, a web/Malifleece and/or a pile yarn is employed thatcomprises fibers of polypropylene (PP), polyester (PES), polyamide (PA)or mixtures thereof.

Depending on the application, the respective advantage of the fibersand/or fiber mixtures resides in the price, light fastness and abrasionresistance.

Further, a web/Malifleece and/or a pile/support web whose fibers have ayarn count within a range of from 3.3 to 11 dtex is preferably employed.

The respective advantage resides in the higher density for the sameweights of fiber employed, the improved cleaning ability and an increaseof the abrasion resistance.

In particular, it is preferred that a densified pile/support web isemployed as the web/Malifleece, especially a web with alongitudinal/transversal strength ratio of 1.0/1.2 to 1.4.

It serves for a higher fiber transport during the needling process, andfor better elongation properties in the deforming process.

Variant 2 according to the invention:

To increase the fiber density and enhance the pile stability, it ispreferred that a further web/Malifleece, especially a pile/support web,is applied to the back side of the web/Malifleece before step a orbetween steps a) and b).

The use of such an additional pile/support web ultimately results in afiber density that is about 2 to 3 times higher than that of standardvelour carpets. The additional increase of the pile density and the useof the Malifleece causes an improved, i.e., reduced, abrasion, anincreased resistance against pressure load and an increased cleaningability.

The process according to the invention will be explained illustrativelyby means of FIGS. 1 to 6.

In FIG. 1, the pile/support web 1 lying on the brush belt 3 is at firstneedled and thereby densified. A plurality of needles are attached tothe needle beam 2. After this step, the needled web/Malifleece isseparated from the brush belt by roller brushes 4, which corresponds toa simultaneous performance of steps b) and c).

In FIG. 2, it is shown according to the invention how the pile/supportweb 1, which is at first non-densified and lying on the brush belt 3, isfirst densified using the needle beam 2 and then needled onto theadditional pile/support web 9. The simultaneous performance of steps c)and d) is effected by the roller brushes 4 in this case too.

FIG. 3 shows the spraying of the back side of the web with water and/ora dispersion by means of spray bar 5 or only use of binding fibers,followed by drying (without tension) via suspension loop 6, wherein thestanding condition of the fibers is fixed, the fiber density is againincreased, and a simultaneous integration of the fibers takes place.

FIG. 4 shows a process step that usually follows the drying, in whichthe fixed fibers are erected at first against the grain using thefurther brush 7. Subsequently, the web/Malifleece is passed over ashearing table, and fiber loops are shorn off using a shearing cylinder8.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the roller brushes 4.

FIG. 6 shows the velour carpet obtained by the process according to theinvention schematically represented as 10 and again represented in amacro photograph 11.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1 (Pile/support) web/Malifleece-   2 Needle beam-   3 Brush belt-   4 Roller brushes-   5 Spray bar-   6 Suspension loop-   7 Brush-   8 Shearing table with shearing cylinder-   9 Additional pile/support web-   10 Principle drawing-   11 Macro photograph

EXAMPLES

Two different velour carpet materials (referred to as variant I andvariant II in the following; the latter was prepared using an additionalpile/support web 9 as shown in FIG. 2) were prepared by the abovedescribed process.

The following Table 1 compares the obtained velour carpet materialsvariant I and variant II with other materials of the prior art (tuftvelour BCF and velour standard).

The arrows represent a comparison of the materials according to theinvention with those of the prior art. Their meanings are (respectivelybased on similar pile weights):

equal

better

worse

As can be seen from this Table, the velour carpet materials prepared bythe process according to the invention all have more favorableproperties as compared to the materials of the prior art.

TABLE 1 Pile Variant I Variant II Tuft Velour BCF Variant I Variant IIVelour Standard Fine fibers 3.3-4.4 dtex 6.7-11 dtex 8-10 dtex 3.3-4.4dtex 6.7-11 dtex 6.7-17 dtex Pile weight 300 g/m² 150 g/m² 270 g/m² 300g/m² 150 g/m² 450-600 g/m² Support — 150 g/m² 120 g/m² — 150 g/m² —Shorn yes yes yes yes yes no Total weight 270 g/m²  

270 g/m² 

360 g/m² 270 g/m²  

270 g/m²  

450-600 g/m² Fiber density high  very high 

 

average high 

very high 

 

low to average Fiber standing good 

excellent 

 

average to good good 

excellent 

 

average condition Abrasion satisfactory 

satisfactory 

satisfactory satisfactory 

satisfactory 

satisfactory Cleaning satisfactory 

good 

good+ satisfactory 

good 

 

good+ Degree of drawing good 

excellent 

 

low good 

excellent 

 

good Streak formation low 

low 

 

high low 

low 

 

low Price low 

 

low 

average to high low 

 

low 

high

1-8. (canceled)
 12. A process for preparing a velour carpet, comprisingthe following steps: a) needling a web/Malifleece on a brush belt usinga needling machine, a pile/support web being drawn into the brush beltand partially back again, so that the fibers of the pile/support web arein the plane of the brush belt; b) separating the web from the brushbelt by means of a roller brush; c) brushing up the pile side before theloops are cut open; characterized in that a further web/Malifleece,including a pile/support web, is applied to the back side of theweb/Malifleece between steps a) and b), to increase the fiber densityand enhance the pile stability.
 13. The process according to claim 12,characterized in that steps b) and c) are performed simultaneously. 14.The process according to claim 12, characterized in that the back sideof the web/Malifleece is sprayed with water and dried and integratedafter step c).
 15. The process according to claims 12, characterized inthat the pile side of the web is brushed against the grain after step c)for erecting the fibers, and protruding fibers are shorn off.
 16. Theprocess according to claim 12, characterized in that a web/Malifleeceincluding a pile/support web comprising fibers of PP, PES, PA ormixtures thereof is employed.
 17. The process according to claim 12,characterized in that a web/Malifleece including a pile yarn whosefibers have a yarn count within a range of from 3.3 to 11 dtex isemployed.
 18. The process according to claim 12, characterized in that adensified pile/support web, including a web/Malifleece with alongitudinal/transversal strength ratio of 1.0/1.2-1.4, is employed asthe web/Malifleece.
 19. The process according to claim 12, characterizedin that a further web/Malifleece, including a pile/support web, isapplied to the side of the web/Malifleece facing away from the brushbelt between steps a) and b).
 20. The process according to claim 12,characterized in that applying the web/Malifleece occurs between a1^(st) and 2^(nd) needling unit.
 21. The process according to claim 19,characterized in that applying the web/Malifleece occurs between a1^(st) and 2^(nd) needling unit.
 22. The process according to claim 14,wherein when the web/Malifleece is dried, it is dried without tension.